This is the busiest week for all age comic books and graphic novels in 2020. From pre-k kids, crawlers, board books and all the way through high school there are some great comic books and graphic novels to entertain and educate readers. We say ‘educate’ in the most entertaining of ways. First up is Science Comics: Crows, which is an excellent, non-fiction graphic novel for middle school students and up. It’s funny, factual and will have kids wanting to read about these smart birds with a bad reputation. A slightly easier read is Journey Under The Arctic. This graphic novel is based in fact, but has a story element that some kids could mistake for non-fiction. It does a nice job at teaching kids about some of the animals that live in one of the coldest places on Earth. There are also lots of great all age comic books like Looney Tunes, Captain Marvel, Disney Princesses and more. In the podcast we’ll talk about all of these plus Snoopy First Beagle in Space, some great What Is The Story books and a couple others.
This week in all age comic books is not much to laugh at. Well, almost. There’s only one humor graphic novel that elementary aged students will enjoy, but that is a big one. The newest collection, Big Nate Blow The Roof Off! is the kind of book that mid elementary school kids are curious about and those upper elementary ages will read and memorize. Middle school kids also will read Big Nate and know that this comic book parallels their lives. In the podcast we’ll talk about that, Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Marvel Action Captain Marvel, Ben 10 The Manchester Mystery and much more. For now, here are all of this week’s all age comic books.
Happy new comic book day! Technically new comic book day is every Wednesday, but we can celebrate a little early, can’t we? This week has some great all age comic books. In the podcast we’ll talk about My Little Pony, Disney The Little Mermaid, Usagi Yojimbo and a couple other great all age comics. When I first saw InvestiGators I said “this is the next Dog Man”. Our 10 year-old was within hearing distance and said, “the new Dog Man is here”? I followed up by saying that InvestiGators by John Patrick Green is the next Dog Man in that it has the manic sense of fun, plus the bright colors that elementary through middle school readers love. Once you read InvestiGators you’ll immediately want to read more. It’s funny and is just the sort of thing that ages 7 and up want to read.
New comic book day (NCBD) is nigh, it’s always on Wednesday and this week has a handful of very cool all age comic books. In the podcast we’ll go in a bit more detail as to why Star Wars Adventures, Sonic the Hedgehog, Magnificent Ms. Marvel and a couple others need to be on your radar for comic books that are great for younger readers. If you’ve got a true Disney Princess fan in your house then Disney Cinderella: The Story of the Movie in Comics from Dark Horse Comics is something you should look into. The text might be a big challenging for younger readers, but if they’re really into this tale then it’s a can’t miss graphic novel. One great monthly comic book that might be under your radar is Magnificent Ms. Marvel. This week has the second printing of #11 from that series. Anytime a fun or cool comic book gets a second print run we like to feature it here. The third run from issue #1 of the Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team up that’s happening now has just been released. That team up is great and one of the best things we’re reading now. Without further ado, here are all of this week’s all age comic books.
This week in new all age comic books is deep. It’s not high brow, rather, there are a huge amount of titles out this week and many of the heavy hitters in elementary aged comic books and graphic novels have new efforts out. In the podcast we’ll chat about Stig & Tilde, Power Rangers and TMNT, Disney PIXAR, new Plants vs. Zombies and more. If you have a child in elementary school there are two must-haves out and that’s Owly and Hilo. Elementary aged readers know Owly, but they know the black & white version. Creator Andy Runton has reproduced his original book with new lines and full color. The books are printed by Graphix and kids 6-10 will love it. If you’re reader is 8-12 then Hilo is a graphic novel series that can easily be one of their favorites. Hilo: All The Pieces Fit is the sixth and final entry into this series. It’s full of heart, humor and action. Our 10 year-old has been asking for this book ever since the fifth book ended. We’ve pre-ordered our copy and can’t wait to read it. Now, here’s a look at all of the new all age comic books this week.
New comic book day this week brings a nice variety of all age comic books, many of which that will appeal to girls more than boys. There’s Betty & Veronica, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Disney Frozen, Miraculous and a couple others. One great mini-series that upper middle school readers and old might enjoy is Archie Vs. Predator II. Issue 5 of 5 from this definitely teen comic book has violence and blends together things that you didn’t think could go together well. We love this series and if you like science-fiction with just a hint of dark humor this will be great for you too. In the podcast this week we’ll chat about Jim Henson Dark Crystal Age of Resistance, True Believers and how to find the right book for your reluctant reader.
All age comic books and all age graphic novels. The former
are just individual comic books that come out in a monthly or as a mini-series.
The later are either an original story that’s out for the first time or a collected
series of comic books that encapsulate a story arc from comic books.
This week has some amazing examples of all of them. One of
our favorite original graphic novels has a new entry this week. Laser Moose and
Rabbit Boy is so much fun for elementary aged reader and (way…) up. Time Trout
is their latest adventure and is so fun to read. This is the manic sort of
story that will hook in anyone who picks up the book. It’ll make reluctant
readers want to read and give those kids who already love reading an excuse to
re-read it dozens of times. Elementary school readers will also dig Teen Titans
Go!, Catwad-It’s Me, Two and many others.
Middle school readers already have Guts on their radar. The
content might be too much for elementary ages, but some in upper elementary
will be OK with it. The Red Zone is a great example of a graphic novel as a
means of education and entertainment. Granted, the true story of an earthquake isn’t
entertaining, but kids might have difficulty processing massive scale
disasters. This graphic novel opens a window to that experience.
In the podcast we’ll chat about those things plus
Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Archie vs. Predator 2 and more.
Humor
Archie 1955 #1, UE, M
Bigby Bear For All Season, E, M, H
Disney/PIXAR The Incredibles 2: Secret Identities
Catwad, It’s Me Two, E, M, H
Guts, UE, M, H
Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy: The Trout, E, M, H
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic #82, E, M
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic vol. 17, E, M
My Little Pony Retro Coloring Book, E, M, H
Superhero
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #12, UE, M
Magnificent Ms. Marvel #7 UE, M, H
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers vol 9, TBP, UE, M, H
Teen Titans Go! #36, E, M
True Believers Hulk Professor Hulk,
Action/Science-fiction
Archie vs. Predator 2, #2 of 5, UE, M, H
Red Zone volume 1 Earthquake Story, UE, M, H
Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures Chapter Book, E
Steven Universe Harmony, UE, M, H
Steven Universe #23, UE, M, H
Tea Dragon Festival, UE, M
World of Reading Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes & Villains
There is something different about the Secondhand Heroes graphic novel trilogy by Justin Larocca Hansen. I like to read graphic novels, but aren’t a technical guru when it comes to know how they’re made, but this one looks different. Fans of the previous two books know the deal. The Last Battle puts the finishing touches on Brella, Stretch, everyday superheroes, monsters and more as they hope to put up a fight against the otherworldly Trench.
Secondhand Heroes has everything that a 9 year old reader wants in a graphic novel. Those readers that come in on this final book will be able to jump into the story with ease. While some of the character backstories won’t be immediately known it’ll sort itself out in just a couple of pages when Trench, with his flaming hands and death-green face come around.
For a book called Secondhand Heroes the book is filled with very common heroes. You see back in book one the two brothers, Tuck and Hudson went to an estate sale where their mother got them the lamest things in the world, a scarf and an umbrella. However, it turns out that the person that died in that house was practicing magic and that all of the things for sale in their estate sale possessed some magical abilities.
Tuck, the older brother is given the umbrella, which has the power of flight. Hudson’s scarf is able to become any shape and has a mind of its own, being able to deflect punches, climb things or anything else. In the first two books the brothers have had lots of adventures, discovered other people who got things from the estate sale and found out their nemesis.
The Last Battle picks up with their hometown well aware of people with various abilities and accepting them into everyday life, albeit with disguises so nobody knows who they really are. Stretch and Brella are heroes, but Trench has plans to take them down with the help of some monsters, as well as, humans who are out the edge of society.
Older readers will enjoy the monsters in The Last Battle and they won’t have to wait long. By the sixth page there’s been a mysterious explosion, talking squirrel, friendly monsters and a neighborhood get together. This is a quickly paced graphic novel that doesn’t skimp on the action and has some great characters that kids 9 and up can relate to and identify with. Part of that charm certainly lies in its title, Secondhand Heroes. These are just two average kids who have objects that give them superpowers.
However, these powers do come at a cost and they, as well as, the others who received them have to learn to deal with and manage them.
Secondhand Heroes, The Last Battle is a first rate graphic novel
Younger readers will love the action, monsters and humor. Parents will enjoy all of the above, plus the positive lessons that the characters are taught in the book. This is not a ‘lesson’ graphic novel. It’s just a well written book that kids will want to read with characters that have traits, that young readers will want to emulate or stay away from. The book also stands out as something that boys or girls can enjoy equally. Based on the cover you could say that the two main characters are boys, but there is a great stable of girls, like Elvira and Lorna who kick butt as much, if not more than the boys.
The art in Secondhand Heroes is hand drawn then painted with watercolor. It’s obvious that love, dedication and time that Justin Larocca Hansen put into each book as well as its characters. Readers who are 12 and up won’t bat an eye over the difference in the book’s appearance. Younger readers might need to warm up to the style of art. For example, our 8YO likes graphic novels, but he needed a moment to get up to speed with the action, myriad of monsters and the like before he could really lose himself in the book. Because of that, readers 9 and up will really enjoy Secondhand Heroes, The Last Battle without a primer, warm-up or supervision from their parents.
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